Miranda Lambert’s New Year’s resolution: Not saying ‘s**t’ so much

As a child in Longview, Texas, Miranda Lambert was obedient, not testing her parents’ skills as private investigators.

Her rebellious period came as a Nashville newcomer in the early 2000s. Bursting through the country-lite wall that had been put up for female singers like Faith Hill and Shania Twain, Lambert wielded her music like a melodious weapon — taking down everything from a cheating ex with Kerosene to an abusive man with Gunpowder & Lead.

Today, this self-proclaimed Crazy Ex-Girlfriend has landed on the saner side of the tabloid frenzy that surrounded her marriage and divorce from singer Blake Shelton. Post-implosion, Lambert released her critically acclaimed, platinum-selling double album Weight of These Wings, which Billboard called a “tour de force.”

On Wings, Lambert covers some familiar territory — too much drinkin’, smokin’ and slinkin’ out for the walk of shame — but she also puts her emotional self out there for all to see and speculate about, every unvarnished vulnerability, vice and ache.

“If you want to hear my side of the story or my opinion of what happened, it’s all on there,” she told Billboard. “There’s no mystery anymore — take from it what you will.”

Upon the release of The Weights of These Wings, you said: “Every record I’ve ever made has been a reflection of where I am right then in my life, however old I am.” Where are you in your life right now?

I guess still chasing the magic. I’m happy and focused.

Do you have any hippie idols? How have they influenced you?

Willie (Nelson) and Janice (Joplin). They influenced me by telling their truth and being who they are.

Your parents were private investigators — what’s the last thing you ever wanted them to find out about you when you were growing up? And how did you keep it from them?

I was a good kid. I knew I couldn’t get away with anything because of their profession, so I didn’t really try. My mom knew where I was going before I ever got there. Small town and mother’s intuition. Not until I was out of the house (wink wink).

You have evolved from the badass of Kerosene and Gunpowder & Lead to the emotional vagabond of Ugly Lights, Runnin’ Just in Case and Vice on Wings. How much has age versus heartbreak played in this spiritual maturity?

A: I think life, love, heartbreak, age and experience have all had a hand in molding me into who I am today. But who I am today may not be who I am tomorrow. I have so much more to learn and I think I’m ready for whatever comes next.

Animals are my passion. Well, my other passion, obviously, besides music. I think they give you a kind of love that you can only find from a heart of a rescue dog or any animals for that matter. I have 19 and counting. Horses, cats, dogs and mini horses!

Your two most recent albums show an impressive range of styles and a move away from mainstream country music. Has there been pushback from your fans, country radio or your label?

I was very blessed and thankful to be able to make this record. I needed it. My label was on board and the fans have been so supportive. Radio has always been a little different for me. I am not your typical mainstream artist, but I always welcome being heard anywhere, anytime. It’s also a little more work for the girls these days, as we all know.

I’m proud of the women for being brave and speaking out. There have definitely been “struggles” in the past for women in country music. Then again, nothing great comes easy. I just keep my eye on the prize no matter what, and I like to champion other women to do the same. With that attitude, nothing or no one can stand in our way.

In response to that same article, Kacey Musgraves tweeted: “MASSIVE expectance on us to be extra accommodating, accessible, sexy, and kiss ass-y. Maybe it’s why you hardly ever hear me on the radio.” Do you think women who don’t “play for play” are denied airtime?

Truly, I think if you deliver the music and the performance that’s true to you, then you can’t lose. It’s not about sexy or accommodating, it’s about getting your s**t done and telling the truth always. And a lot about work ethic and drive and heart.

Let’s end on a lighter note: Did you have a New Year’s resolution? And if so, did you already break it?

Michele Parente is the Dining, Wine + Lifestyle reporter for The San Diego Union-Tribune. Her areas of expertise include the Valle de Guadalupe wine region, fashion, television, women’s issues and coverage of aging, such as the impact of Alzheimer’s and dementia and family caregiving. Michele is the former Sunday and features editor, where she oversaw profiles, special projects, such as the Legacy of WWII and in-depth reports on a variety of topics. She joined the U-T in 2003, supervising coverage areas that have included features, fashion, TV, Food, Consumer Health and Arts & Entertainment. Previously, Michele was the assistant features editor at The Oregonian, in Portland, as well as the Portland City Hall reporter. She spent 10 years at New York Newsday as a reporter on the crime, education, state legislature and New York City Hall beats. She was part of a team that won the 1992 Pulitzer Prize for Spot News Reporting. A native New Yorker, Michele received her B.A. in political science and Italian Literature at UC Berkeley. In 1980, she studied at L’Università di Urbino, in Italy. One of her life’s goals is to make her way through each of the world’s great wine regions.